Trailer truck frame



Sept. 14,1943.v G. s. MINIUM TRAILER-TRUCK FRAME Filed Ja. 17. 1942'Patented Sept. 14, 1943 HUNITEDV STATES PATENT- OFFICE f 329,468 Y 7- yy TRAILER TRUCK FRAME y y Georges. Minium, chicago, 11i.

Application January, 17, l1942, seriaiNof` 427,085 comms. (o1. 2804106)Y yThis j invention Arelates `to improvements in frame structure fortrucking or road haulage vehicles, and has for its principal object toprovide a frame structure for-suchgvehicles combining relative lightnessin. I weight with maximum strength to withstand ythe shocks and stressesincident to the use of vsuch vehicles. l

As iswellv known, commercial road ,haulage vehicles are usually subjectto legal regulations not only asto size, but as Ato permissible ltotalweight, including body and load, so that they will not cause undueldamage or wear on highway surfaces. Thereforeyany saving` in weight ofthe vehicle body permits increase in the load-- carrying capacity ofsuch vehicles.

In `carrying out my invention, 1 provide an integral vehicle base framestructure especiallyy applicable to trucks of the vsemi-trailer type,wherein the usual'separate undercarriageor yframe is dispensedwith.ivInstead, .the base'frame includesl longitudinaland transverseframemembers, all disposed insubstantially ythe vsame horizontal plane,so as to form the iloor rof the body, with means Vfor connecting thespringsA` and other running gear l attachments directly'to the underside of said base frame.A `Iv also provide an improved form ofStructural frame units or box sections' for supporting the krunningfgearat op.-

positeendsof .the frame, together witha cen-y trally disposed main draftand stiffening member for connecting the twoend frame structures to.-

gether. y, Y p The invention mayfbe'st be understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a bottom view of a vehicleframe cone structed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the frame shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail crosssection taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.'

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower `portion of asenil-trailer truck body embodying the frame structure shown in thepreceding figures.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawing, thetruck body indicated generally at III includes a' base frameII and upright side and end walls I2 and I3. The truck body shown is ofthe semi-trailer type, and may be provided as usual with rear wheels I4and springs I5 connected to the under side of the base frame by shacklesI6, I6 and connecting brackets I1, I1. the body may be connected to amotor tractor (not shown) by a fifth wheel device of any suitable form,including a king pin I 8 depending from a horizontalbearing plate Iiiaherein fixed below the frontend of the base frame. When disconnectedfrom the motor tractor, ythe truck body isy temporarilysupported at its'front kend by any suitable, form of lfoldable,` or detachable ground.y

bracesvindicated-at I 9.y 1 4 D The base frame I I includes frontandrearr end sills aridV 2|, side sills 2,2, 22and an intermediateframework includingthree groups of channelled cross members, all spacedksubstantially equi-distant from` each other. shown herein,thefirstgroup of cross members consists of five cross members'v 23, 24,25,' 26 `and 21 aiijacent,l the front of the frame, the secondgroupconsistsof three cross 'members 28, 29 and l 3 0 inthe centralportion of the frame, and the Astlwill vbe seen in third 'group consistsof three cross members 3|, `32and33near the rear Yof the frame. vTwosimilar sets of longitudiArially`-` extending beams orbryacesf34,l'35,"36, 31 and 38 are arranged inlen'd lto end' ynectedf"Ybe/Ijniveen'Y the front end sill-20- a'nd the five crossmembers`- which constitute the first group of l'cross members. Each setof 'said beams is spaced from its adjacent .side sill 22, so that saidlongitudinal beams, together 'with'the' central portion ZIJa of theend"sill andthe centralk portion 21a" of `cross member 2'Iidene in effect'a box section indicated generally ,at'A in Fig. 1.

this figure, certain of the longitudinal `braces 36, 3I-are`angularlydisposed outwardly and rearwardly so that the box section A iswidened toward pose hereinafterjdescribed. As willbe observed furtherfrom Fig. 2, the longitudinal beams'34,

35 and 36 are extended vertically a slight distance below the generalbottom level of the frame, and the central portion of the cross members23 and 24 Iare also widened correspondingly.

The bearing plate I8 of the fifth wheel device is rigidly secured to thebottom flanges of beams 34 and 35, cross members 23 and 24, and atransverse brace 20a depending from the front sill 20,

so as to provide an especially strong and rigid y supporting structurefor the front end of the The front end of frame adjacent the king pinI8.l To further reinforce the box structure at this point, twointermediate longitudinal beams 39, '39 are connected between the lcrossmembers 23 and 24 and secured to the bearing plate I8.

, It will be understood that `all of the frame members are rrigidlysecured together, preferably integral or unitary In the form yrelationship vand arerigidly conits rear end, forthe purframe structure,all in substantially the same horizontal plane. y

To provide a support for the ground braces 4 I9, 9, the longitudinalbeams 31, 31 at the Widened rear end portion of the box section A areprovided with depending extensions or ears 31a, 31'SL to which the saidground braces may be suitably connected, as by hinging at hole 31h. Thecross member 26 at the rear end of the extensions 31", 31a has achannelled cross member l2lia secured along its bottom flange anddisposed in the same vertical plane, as shown in Fig. 2. The beams 31,31 may be further reinforced by gusset-s 40, 40 secured across the fourpoints oV juncture with the cross members 25 and 26.

L to form an elongated box section between said At the rear end of theframe two similar sets of longitudinal beams 4|, 42 and 43 are arrangedend to end to'each other' and rigidly seside sills, vehicle supportingmeans for the front end of said frame directly connected to the crossmembers adjacent the iront end of said box section, reinforcedextensions directly connected to i other cross members adjacent the rearof said cured between the third group of cross members 3| 32 and 33 andthe rear end sill 2|, respectively. S'aid longitudinal. beams togetherwith the central portions 3|a of cross member 3|,fand the' centralvportion 2|a of end sill 2|, define in, effect a box section indicatedgenerally at B in Fig. l. 'I'he longitudnalbeams 41 42 andv 43 arepref'- erably reinforced by continuous channel members 44, 44 whichextend below the vgen'eral'plane of the frame so as to form supportstovwhich the brackets [1, 1 for rear spring shackles f6, I6 shown in Fig. 4are rigidly mounted in any suitable manner.

Extending longitudinally and centrally` of the main frame is a tubularmember 45 arranged to connect the front box section A from a pointimmediately adjacent the king pinl fjwith rear box section B. Saidtubular memberpasses through trai sections of the frame, and alsothrough' at least. two` cross. members 3| and 32 of the rear elongatedbox section and at the opposite sides of the latter aflfordingconnection for other vehicle supporting means, other longitudinal beamsconnecting a second group of cross members adjacent the rear end ofsaid'frame to form a second box section, supporting means for rear endo! said frame directly connected to said box section, and a centrallydisposed', longitudinally extending tubular draft member having itsopposite ends rigidly connected to a plurality of cross members formingeach of said box sections, and also rigidlycennected" to the crossmembers disposed between said box sections.

`2. An integral-vehicleirame comprising end sills, side sills, aplurality of cross members, longitudinal beams connecting a group ofcross `the several cross members ofthe front and cenf boxY section, andis rigidly connected to each of said cross membersas by welding, so` asyto provide kan especially strong and yet light frame structure,including reinforcedbox sections vfor the front and rearweight-supporting areas, and ai novel form of torsion-resistantVI draft.connection between said box. sections.

`The tubular member 45 also provides a conduit for electric tail lightsand trafc signal cables 4.3 from the front to the rear end of the fvehicle. Thus the tubularl memlznerv 45 Iormsth'e main draft elementbetween the box sections; A and B, as Well' as a torsion-resisting andVstiften.- ing membery for the entire frame..l

Aithough I have shown and described one par'- members adjacent thefrontend of said frame to forman elongated box section widened at therear end of the latter, vehicle means for the front end of said framedirectly connected to the front endof said bok section, reinforcedextensions adjacent thevwidened rear of said elongated boxy section andat the opposite, sides thereof/,affording connection for other vehiclesupporting means, other' longitudinal beams connecting asecond group ofcross membersadjacent `tl'ie rear endof said frame to form a second boxsection, supporting means for the rea-r end of said frame directlyconnected to said `box section, and a centrally disposed, longitudinallyextending tubular draft member having its opposite ends rigidlyconnectedy to a plurality of cross members forming each ofV said boxsections, and

posed betweensaid box sections.

GEORGE s. MINIUM.

